Posts Tagged ‘SDCC 2014’

Star Wars news has been plenty over the past year, with announcements about the latest live-action trilogy directed by J.J. Abrams and the new 3D-animated TV series, Star Wars Rebels, releasing later this year. In order to please eager fans, there was a number of Star Wars-related announcements, exclusives, screenings, and more at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con.

One of the biggest Star Wars showings at SDCC this year was the exclusive screening of the first hour-long episode of Star Wars Rebels. The episode, which will air on the Disney Channel this fall, follows the tale of insurgents and their fight against the Galactic Empire, and was accompanied at the SDCC screening by a panel hosted by the executive producers and stars of the show.

Also announced at SDCC is a trio of brand-new comics from Marvel, based on the original Star Wars trilogy! The first comic, simply titled Star Wars, will retell the battle between Luke, Leia, and Han against Darth Vader after the events of Episode IV. The second comic, Star Wars: Darth Vader, will shift perspectives to Vader himself as he attempts to regain control of his forces after his loss in Episode IV. Finally, a five-issue miniseries titled Star Wars: Princess Leia, will focus on the princess and her ordeals throughout the trilogy. These comics are set to begin releasing in January 2015, and will continue throughout the year.

Hot Wheels also partnered up with Star Wars this year to reveal their new line of vehicles and play sets based on the iconic franchise. In order to celebrate the occasion, Hot Wheels even commissioned a life-size, fully operational version of their first vehicle in the series, the Darth Vader Car, which was on display at the event. Other small-scale Hot Wheels vehicles shown off at the event include Chewbacca, R2D2, Luke, Yoda, and a Clone Trooper.

Hasbro’s popular Star Wars Black Series 6″ figures also saw a number of exciting announcements at SDCC. Alongside the appearance of the SDCC-exclusive Jabba the Hutt figure in the Black Series, five brand-new releases in the Black Series were announced and shown at the event: Deluxe Han & Tauntaun set, Luke and Wampa set, TIE Pilot, Han Solo Storm Trooper, and Bounty Hunter Bossk! All of these figures will continue the Black Series trend of releasing screen-accurate renditions of favorite Star Wars characters, with a high amount of articulation and detail.

Sideshow Collectibles also had a number of new and upcoming releases at their booth, in a wide variety of scales and sizes. Ranging from classics like R2-D2 and the Scout Trooper with his Speeder Bike, there were a few surprises such as the new 1:5 scale statues based on the original Star Wars concept art by artist Ralph McQuarrie. There were even life-size statues at the event, showing off characters like Darth Vader, Yoda, Boba Fett, and Han Solo in carbonite!

With so many exciting releases to come for Star Wars, from movies and comics to collectibles, it’s a great time to be a Star Wars fan!

It’s been 35 years since Ridley Scott’s iconic sci-fi horror film, Alien released in theaters in 1979, shocking audiences worldwide with its stunning special effects and monster design. In order to celebrate the momentous occasion, the Alien franchise had a huge showing at this year’s San Diego Comic Con, showing off new and upcoming figures as well as other exclusive Alien exhibits.

One of the most prominent Alien displays at SDCC was the Alien: Isolation booth, allowing visitors to check out the newest upcoming video game based on the hit franchise. Focusing on stealth and the feeling of being hunted by the signature xenomorph alien, the booth features a recreation of a massive alien egg pod that players entered in order to try out the demo in solitude. The exhibit even featured a hand-painted mural of the xenomorph, created by artist Maxx242! Alien: Isolation releases on PC, Playstation 3 and 4, and Xbox One and 360 on October 7th.

A number of exclusive and upcoming Alien toys were also shown off at the event, featuring characters and designs from a number of beloved movies. Super7 helped celebrate the anniversary in a big way by releasing a number of Alien exclusives at the event. These include the 4.5″ vinyl Alien figure, which features clear dome as well as retro Kenner-style Alien packaging, as well as the new Deep Space Mystery Alien Egg blind box, which included a limited edition Alien ReAction Figure inside. The most anticipated release, though, was the Alien Egg Chamber play set created in collaboration with Funko. This play set, marketed in classic retro packaging and details, recreates the classic scene from the movie, and includes a detailed backdrop and display stand for all of Funko’s Alien ReAction figures.

Some of the most popular upcoming releases were shown off by NECA and Hot Toys, both of which showed off brand-new figures and statues of Alien protagonist Ellen Ripley. Featuring both her design from the original Alien movie as well as the sequel, Aliens, these new Ripley figures will be the first ever to feature an accurate depiction of her movie likeness, played by Sigourney Weaver. Hot Toys even showed off a to-scale figure of the infamous Power Loader from Aliens to go alongside this exciting release!

Not one to be outdone, NECA showed off its brand-new upcoming Alien Queen figure to fans for the first time at SDCC. The figure, which will be one of the largest Alien figures ever released, stands at 15″ tall and over 30″ long, and will feature over 30 points of articulation throughout its body, including movable jaw, arms, an even an entirely articulated tail. This figure is set to release in October, and preorders are currently open for this giant collectible.

With lots to celebrate and lots to talk about at this year’s SDCC, stay tuned for more news and pictures from the event!

Bandai, and its Tamashii Nations brand of collectors’ merchandise, has always been at the forefront of Japanese imports and collectibles, featuring designs from some of the most popular anime, video games, tokusatsu, and more. Their showing at this year’s SDCC did not disappoint, with a variety of new reveals along with displays of popular merchandise from the past year.

Among the new reveals were Bandai’s newest Dragonball releases, exclusive to SDCC. These included the S.H. Figuarts Vegeta figure in its original animation colors, as well as the collectible Dragon Ball & Dragon Radar pack. These two exclusives were featured alongside a number of other previous Dragonball releases, including Figuarts articulated figures and Figuarts ZERO statues. Also featured was the new upcoming series of chibi-style Dragonball statue collectibles, which have no planned release date as of yet.

Also unveiled for the first time at SDCC was the first state-side look at the new Naruto S.H. Figuarts collectibles! The two new figures in this series, Naruto and Sasuke, featured their most recent designs from the manga, and each included alternate faces, swappable hands, attack effects and more.

On top of that, Nintendo fans across the world got their very first look at the brand-new S.H. Figuarts Luigi from the Mario franchise! Posed alongside his brother Mario, who recently got his own S.H. Figuarts release, their display included brand-new playset options for the set, including a themed backdrop and an extending Piranha Plant enemy!

Godzilla, who has had a busy year with the recent Legendary film and sequel announcement, was also at the Bandai show floor, appearing in his newest 2014 look in the S.H. MonsterArts line. Releasing later this year, the figure was also accompanied by a number of other Godzilla figures, including toys of older Godzilla designs and MechaGodzilla.

Finally, to celebrate Doraemon’s upcoming United States debut this August, Bandai unveiled two brand-new toys of the show’s protagonists: S.H. Figuarts Nobita and Robot Spirits Doraemon! Both of these figured appeared for the first time at the show, with Nobita having swappable hands and faceplates, and Doraemon even coming with his Dokodemo Door tool.

Other popular display pieces at the show were the complete set of Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers and Sailor Moon Figuarts! Both displays featured the entire cast of characters from each series, with unique display options such as the rotating disco ball on Sailor Moon’s display and the earth-like texture on the Power Rangers display. The Power Rangers play even featured the previously released Super Robot Chogokin figure of the Dino Megazord!

A number of Bandai’s other popular figures were on display as well, featuring figures from franchises like One Piece and Saint Seiya, and more. There were even display cases dedicated to popular Gundam franchises like Gundam Wing and the recent Gundam Build Fighters!

Seeing all of these amazing toys in one place is truly what makes SDCC one of the biggest and most fan-beloved conventions in the world, and we’ve still got a ton more coverage to do about the event, so keep your eyes peeled!

This year’s SDCC coming to a close on June 27th this past Sunday, showing off some of the most exciting news and featuring some amazing attractions and exhibits for visiting fans to take part in. Not one to slouch, especially on her 40th anniversary, Hello Kitty brought a number of unprecedented exclusive events to the convention, making it a weekend to remember for Sanrio fans everywhere!

The biggest headline for Hello Kitty this year was the exclusive signing event at Sanrio’s Booth #4539 on the show floor, where fans could come face-to-face with Yuko Yamaguchi, the original Hello Kitty creator and head designer at Sanrio! Flying in all the way from Tokyo, Yuko was on the show floor for the entire weekend, greeting fans, taking photos, and signing limited edition art posters available at the booth. This was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime chance for Hello Kitty fans to meet the creator in person!

Other popular Hello Kitty items at the event were Tamashii Nation’s display case of the recently released 40th Anniversary Hello Kitty Chogokin figure, as well as the brand new SDCC-exclusive Hello Kitty 40th Anniversary minifigures and trading cards by Upper Deck. These exclusives, along with a number of other Hello Kitty collectibles and props, were available throughout the show floor to help celebrate Hello Kitty’s landmark anniversary.

Now that SDCC has finally come to an end, we’ve got a huge amount of photos and coverage to show off, so stay tuned!

With the San Diego Comic-Con opening its doors for avid fans on Wednesday night, big news has already started to come out from the convention center about upcoming releases and titles. To kick off the convention in a big way, Marvel has released a number of posters of their upcoming movie releases: Ant-Man and Avengers: Age of Ultron!

Ant-Man, which has been in development since 2006, will begin filming in August, and concept art of the film’s protagonists has been released as an exclusive poster for SDCC! The movie will star Scott Lang, a master thief who steals a shrinking suit from scientist Hank Pym and uses it to transform into size-changing hero Ant-Man, whose suit also gives him the means to communicate with small creatures. The poster showcases both Lang and Pym, as well as the new design for the Ant-Man suit.

On top of that, Marvel released four posters to promote the upcoming Avengers movie, Age of Ultron! Written as a sequel for the popular 2012 Avengers film, Age of Ultron will feature the return of the Avengers team, including Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, The Hulk, Black Widow, and Hawkeye, as well introduce Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch to the team. The team will be fighting against Ultron, an AI programmed by Iron man that has gone rogue and plots to destroy the superhero team. The four new posters Iron Man, Scarlet Witch, Black Widow, and Captain America fighting against an army of Ultron robots, with more posters to come as SDCC move on through the weekend. The posters can even be put together to recreate a giant battle scene!

All of these posters will be available for fans to pick up at Marvel’s booth throughout the duration of SDCC. With the Avengers: Age of Ultron movie releasing on May 1, 2015, and Ant-Man scheduled to release in July 2015, it will be a busy summer for many Marvel fans! And with Comic-Con just starting to get underway, make sure to keep your eyes peeled for more news on your favorite franchises, movies, television shows, figure lines, and more!

NECA has been producing dolls and action figures of iconic character since 2002, and their showing at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con features a whole new slew of collectibles ranging from recent smash hits to retro-style icons!

First up is the Pacific Rim “End Titles” Jaegar 3-pack, featuring three of Pacific Rim’s fan-favorite Jaegar robots! Standing at 7″ tall each, the set comes with Gipsy Danger, Crimson Typhoon, and Striker Eureka, each of which has been repainted in black, high-gloss finishes to recreate their appearances during the end credits of the film. Each Jaegar even has glow-in-the-dark visors, and will come in a collectible window package with foil slipcover. Priced at $60, this collector’s set is limited to 5,000 pieces, making it a must-have for any diehard Pacific Rim fan!

NECA has been known to make figures of characters that no one expected, and this year’s SDCC lineup does not disappoint with the new figure of Super Freddy! Featured in A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child, this 8″ Super Freddy figure comes in a retro monochromatic color scheme and includes actual cloth for his attire. Super Freddy is limited to 5,000 pieces and retails for $40.

In order to commemorate the new Predator: Fire and Stone comic book series by Dark Horse comics, which begins in October 2014, NECA has also create a limited-edition Ahab Predator action figure! Featuring unique new sculpting and designs that will be featured in the upcoming comic book, Ahab Predator stands at 7″ tall and will retail for $25 in a limited edition release of 5,000 pieces.

Also coming to SDCC are exclusive colorways of the Marvel and DC Scalers! These miniature 2″ figures are designed to grip headphone cords, wires, cables, and more! These SDCC exclusive two-pack releases will be priced at $10, and feature previous Scaler releases in new colors: Silver Centurion Iron Man and Marvels Spider-Man, and Monochrome Batman and Joker!

Finally, NECA is continuing their retro-styled character releases, following last year’s exclusive NES Jason release, with a variety of new characters announced and on display at the event! The first releases represent character from the popular 1993 videogame “Robot vs Terminator” on the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis systems! Two 7″ figure sets are planned for release: one featuring the T-800 Terminator and a Terminator Endoskeleton, and the second featuring Robocop in his normal look as well as an on-fire variant! All the figures in both sets will be designed and decorated to match their on-screen appearances from the videogame, and come with their own unique accessories and weapons.

NECA has also announced a brand-new 7″ Batman figure, designed and colored off of his appearance in the 1989 NES videogame! Featuring a cel-shaded design of purple and blue, Batman will feature a removable cape, along with his Batarang and Spear Gun accessories. Unfortunately, none of these retro-colored toys will be available for purchase until October, but fans at NECA’s SDCC booth will be able to get a good look at these cel-shaded classics in person for the first time.

NECA’s SDCC celebrations don’t stop there: a flash sale will open on their online website at 6:30 PST on Wednesday, July 23rd, allowing fans from all over the world to pick up their SDCC exclusives from the comfort of their own home! On top of that, NECA will continue to release new information on upcoming toys and releases throughout the event, making their booth a must-see for toy fans everywhere!

With this year’s San Deigo Comic-Con opening its doors to fans across the world in the coming week, 20th Century Fox has revealed its plans to create a virtual reality exhibit at the event based on the popular X-Men franchise! This interactive experience, which will utilize the popular Oculus Rift VR headset, will recreate the X-Men’s iconic machine, Cerebro. This machine, used by the X-Men’s leader, Professor X, to find fellow mutants throughout the world through the use of brainwaves, will be emulated through the use of the Oculus Rift technology, allowing user to virtually track down mutants and characters like the shape-shifting Mystique.

The 360-degree exhibit will include a replica of Professor X’s wheelchair for users to sit in, and will even feature a short interactive film to walk user through the experience. The exhibit will also feature a limited edition Blu-ray box set, which includes the entire library of previously released X-Men movies in a replica case of the Cerebro helmet! Fox will also be promoting the Blu-ray release of the upcoming “X-Men: Days of Future Past” movie on October 14th, and hopes to make their booth a must-see for everyone at the event.